PPLICATIONS This application claims priority from application serial number 101 28 670.8 which was filed in Germany on Jun. 13, 2001.
The present invention relates to a device for the detachable attachment of an object, in particular a child""s safety seat, on a motor vehicle seat.
A well-known problem in the motor vehicle industry is the attachment of child safety seats to the existing seats of the motor vehicle. In order to securely attach the child safety seat, there must be a seat-integrated holding means, or anchor point, built into the frame of the seat. However, this seat-integrated holding means must not interfere with the comfort of the existing seat when in normal use.
A number of patents have been directed at this problem. A few of them are listed below.
DE 196 50 087 C1 describes an anchor point for child safety seats. Seat bearing brackets are provided in which the pivot axle is rotatably supported by bearing bushings. In order to be able to move the seat-integrated holding means, which are rigidly connected with the pivot axle, from the park position into the use position, and conversely, the backrest must first be folded forward. This opens up a relatively large gap between the seat cushion and the backrest through which the pivot movement of the holding means can take place. To execute this pivot movement, the seat-integrated holding means must either be pulled forward through the gap or must be grasped from behind and below and moved through the gap. Apart from the required folding of the backrest, this movement is cumbersome and time-consuming.
DE 197 38 802 C1, DE 198 34 847 C1 and DE 199 28 862 A1 also describe seat-integrated holding means of the type relevant here, which are rigidly incorporated into the support structure of a motor vehicle seat. This holding means comprises two holding brackets, with each holding bracket being pivotable about a vertical pivot axis from a park position into a use position, and conversely. The park and the use position are arrested with a latch. To convert the seat-integrated holding means into the use position, the latches are detached via a Bowden control unit such that the holding means can pivot by spring force into its use position.
The present invention addresses the problem of equipping a seat-integrated holding means with significantly better operating ease over the prior art.
The primary aspect of the present invention is to provide an anchor point, or seat-integrated holding means, which can easily be moved from its use position to the park position and vice-versa.
Other aspects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.
According to the present invention an operating element (also called a handle) is provided on the outside of the vehicle seat. The actuation of the operating element transfers a torque to the pivot axle such that the seat-integrated holding means, rigidly connected with the pivot axle, can be moved from the park position into the use position, and vice-versa. The operating element is readily accessible on the outside of the vehicle seat such that, compared to the prior art, a significantly improved ease of operation is provided.
The torque transfer from the operating element onto the pivot axle can be realized in various ways. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the operating element is a hand lever seated rotatably on the pivot axle. The lever comprises a laterally projecting catcher means, which is radially spaced from the rotational axis. The catcher means projects through a cutout of the adjacent seat frame side part and is operationally connected with a transmission lever rigidly connected with the pivot axle and projecting from it substantially radially. Thereby the torque is not directly transmitted via the hand lever onto the pivot axle, but rather indirectly via its catcher means and the transmission lever of the pivot axle. Further constructional options result for the advantageous implementations of the invention.